Martin l



(No-Mb del.)

- M. L. METZGER.

. TBETHING RING. No. 526,932.

Patented Oct. 2, 1894.

' WITNESSES:

p4: l qnms'fimns 00., Wuhan. WASHINGTON. a. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN L. METZGER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TEETHlNG-RING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 526,932, dated October2, 1894.

Application filed January 9, 1894. Serial No. 496.253- (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MARTIN L. METZGER, of New York city, in the countyand State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement inBlind Nipples, of which the followlng is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My lnvention relates to an improvement in teething rings, and it has forits object to construct a teething ring in a manner whereby an unbrokenring may be connected with a rubber nlpple in an exceedingly simple andecononuc manner.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of theseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed outin'the claim.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, 1n which similar figures and letters of referenceindicate corresponding parts in all the vlews.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved teething ring, a portion ofthe stem being broken away and in section; and Fig. 2 is a verticalsection through the stem, the ring, a portion of the nipple and theflange which accompanies the nipple.

In carrying out the invention the nipple A may be of the usualconstruction and formation, and the ring B to be connected with thenipple may be made of any desired material, but the said ring isunbroken, being solid and continuous.

In connection with the nipple and ring a stem 0, is employed to connectthe two. This stem may be made of any desired material. Preferably,however, hard rubber is employed for the purpose, or any equivalentmaterial having spring characteristics. The stem is divided preferablyin the center from its upper end to a point near the lower end, wherebythe major portionof the stem is in two connected sections," designatedrespectively as 10 and 11. A longitudinal cut or opening in the stem atthe lower end of the latter meets an opening 12 which is madetransversely in the stem, the said opening being adapted to receive thering B. Thus the lower portion of the stem is virtually its hingeportion. The upperend of the'stem is provided with an exterior shoulder13, and preferably with two annular ribs 15 and 16, located above saidshoulder. The ring is placed in position in the stem by springing itstwo sections 10 and 11 apart, and forcing the ring down into its socketor aperture 12. The nipple is forced over the ribs 15 and 16 practicallyto an engagement with the shoulder 13, and a washer or shield 17, isthen forced over the nipple and over the upper rib of the stem, beingmade to bind the nipple to the stem between the lower andlnpper rib, thelower rib being of greater diameter than the upper one. If in practiceit is found desirable a pin or rivet may be passed through the stem soas to positively connect its sections.

It is evident that when a teething ring is constructed in the mannerabove set forth it is very, durable, especially so, as the ring isunbroken, being solid and continuous throughout its circumference.Furthermore, the ring may be attached to the stem in as expeditious andconvenient a manner as under the old construction.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and'desire to secureby Letters Patent A teething ring, the same consisting of a stem bentupon itself to form two opposing and contacting members, a transverseaperture being made at the lower portion of the stem and at the lowerportion of thespace between the members, annular ribs formed on theopposite end of the stem, a ring passed through the said aperture in thestem, and a nipple located on the end having the said ribs,substantially as shown and described.

MARTIN L. METZGER.

Witnesses:

J NO. M. BITTER, F. W. HANAFORD.

